Winter has come to the forest at last, a heavy snowfall on New Year’s Eve. As usual, we slept through the New Year, though sharp retorts and bright red skies marked midnight as our friends up the hill lit off fireworks.

The yurt is staying warm, though anything not cooked on the top of the woodstove involves our outdoor kitchen (a Coleman stove given to us by some dear friends). Still, it’s somehow joyful to go out and boil one’s tea water surrounded by wind, pine trees, and the birds that visit our suet feeders.

 

These birds are BRAVE! We’re creating sign language for each species, since we can’t find them in any of our online or paper-and-ink resources. Rose-breasted nuthatch is “friend bird”, because they’re the bravest of all. Chickadees are “cute bird”. The woodpeckers come in three varieties, each one signed with more fingers pecking a tree. Downy, hairy, and pileated woodpeckers. Blue jays (no sign yet) fly over often, and crows (“spirit birds”) are always talking as they wander the forests.

This week we’ve dedicated as writing retreat. We began a new young adult trilogy about 3 ½ months ago, and book one is already finished. We’re doing polishing edits right now. After that, we’ll begin the query process of submitting to agents.

We got a chance to enjoy the company of many of our family and friends this holiday season and want to wish everyone a New Year filled with abundance, playfulness, magic and adventure!

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